Cyberpunk AU start: Max

[drfeelbad]

House didn't visit Input on a regular basis exactly, but often enough that his face was known there. The men and women he'd spent time with he'd seen more than once, and when he arrived tonight and sat down at the bar, the bartender pushed him a Jack Daniels without him having to ask, and mentioned that they were quite busy tonight but he'd seen Isaac recently if he'd like to have a drink with him. "Yes, please tell him I'm here," House had said before taking a sip.

Though before he'd even managed to take a second drink, he heard someone shouting for a doctor.

He almost ignored it. Almost. But instead, he said to the bartender, "I'll be right back," and then slid off the stool, grabbed his cane, and headed in the direction of the shouts.

Comments

[drfeelbad]

House glanced back at him, and then a couple of minutes later handed him a short glass with whiskey in it, and another protein bar, just in case.

Then he sat, and took a sip from the other glass. In all honesty he wasn't upset about how the evening had gone. He could have sex any time, but this was actually interesting.

[511v3r_h4mm3r]

Nodding his thanks, Max sipped the whiskey, pulling a bit of a face at the taste. There was no play at being sophisticated or anything like that. It was clear when Max drank, he drank sweet.

"You were going to share a table with Isaac," he said. "Isaac's funny. Tells jokes, I mean, not..."

He tapped the side of his head, implying funny could mean something very different.

[drfeelbad]

House snorted. "Yeah. Isaac can actually carry on a conversation." Which might not be the quality he most looked for when going there, but it certainly didn't hurt. Though if he wanted to fuck someone he could also play chess with, he'd go to one of the bot brothels.

[511v3r_h4mm3r]

"I've been thinking about leaving there," Max admitted, not sure why he was telling House that. "Dunno where I'd go though, not a lot of clubs like that left."

[drfeelbad]

"And do you... like that work?" House asked.

[511v3r_h4mm3r]

Max shrugged, finishing his protein bar. "It's what I've always done."

[drfeelbad]

"That's not an answer," House said. "Do you feel like you've chosen it at least?"

[511v3r_h4mm3r]

Max shrugged, because he didn't have an answer to that. He'd not chosen this path for himself, but now he was on it, he didn't see a way off. Especially with his little side project.

[drfeelbad]

House wasn't going to push on that question. Maybe he was asking out of his own guilt. He'd been paying people for sex for a long time, and though he tried, and it was important to him, he wasn't an idiot, and was sure that not every person he'd been with was making a choice.

Though he did look at him for a second before saying, "Despite saving your life, I'm surprised you trust me given why I was there in the first place."

[511v3r_h4mm3r]

"Not all clients are bad, had some nice ones, but- I think I'm good, at judging when people mean harm. I have a lot of practice, and more often than not I'm right. You don't mean harm. ...Besides, I think I could out run you if I had to," Max said, sounding serious, but eventually offering a cheeky little smile.

[drfeelbad]

House snorted, amused. "Well that part you've got right."

He took another sip of the whiskey. "And you're also right, I don't mean you harm."

[511v3r_h4mm3r]

"Good," Max said simply, sipping his whisky again and pulling another face. He should have asked for water.

"You really don't mind me sleeping here?"

[drfeelbad]

"You're not going to rob me are you?" said House.

[511v3r_h4mm3r]

"I'm a lot of things, but I'm not a thief," Max assured him. "If I was I wouldn't be homeless right now."

[drfeelbad]

"Most of what's here you'd have trouble unloading," House said. "Unlike the idiot doctors who can't diagnose shit without millions of pounds of high tech off the shelf gadgets,, I can actually use my brain."

[511v3r_h4mm3r]

"Does the how really matter? Saving a life is saving a life," Max replied, shrugging one shoulder. "I mean, it's a cool party trick, doing it without bots and stuff, but I dunno if I'd care how smart you were if you were digging a bullet out my skull. Would just wanna know you had steady hands."

[drfeelbad]

"Yeah but I save so much money," House said with a smirk. "And also I can do shit when the power goes out."

[511v3r_h4mm3r]

Max nodded a bit, shrugging again.

"I'm an idiot, you really don't need to impress me. Fact that you have a place to work is impressive enough. I once had a guy stitch me back up behind a taco place."

[drfeelbad]

"I don't think you're an idiot," said House. He had a good nose for idiots. What he actually thought was that there was much more to Max than there seemed.

[511v3r_h4mm3r]

Max shrugged again. He'd spent most his life being told he was stupid, it didn't bother him anymore.

"You mind if I smoke?" he asked, pulling out a metal cigarette case that was badly dented and looked too old to have been Max's originally.

[drfeelbad]

"Nope," said House. "The air filtration in here is the shit."

[511v3r_h4mm3r]

Max pulled out a cigarette lighter it with an old, blue plastic lighter. It was clear, and inside you could see the fluid swishing around. There were electric lighters, even implants, but Max liked the older ones, the sizzle and spark of it.

"Want one?" He asked, offering the case.

[drfeelbad]

"I don't suppose you've got any pot?" House asked hopefully.

[511v3r_h4mm3r]

"Not at the moment, sorry," Max said. "I know someone though, if you want some in the future."

[drfeelbad]

"Oh I've got my own supplier," House said. "I'm just out."

He bent over to set down his empty glass, and then when straightening up, winced and rubbed his thigh. He started rooting around in his pocket for something.

"So why are you a ghost?" he asked.